Reasons for Tossing Out Your Indoor Brooder and Start Raising Your Chicks Outdoors

I'm in the process of constructing a 10 x 20 hoophouse adjacent to the main run. My intention had been to grow them out there, in view of each other, before graduating them out.
Now, with the portal idea, I can see how they can graduate themselves!!

Outstanding clear description of how it works and why. Loved this and it gave me new ideas!

Excellent article, and very timely for us! As I understand the article, a heating element was still used in the run while the chicks were young. The term was a "heating pad cave". What exactly was that? Is it the blue and white thing in the picture? If so, was that an actual heating pad used that was draped over a box frame that was open on one side for the chicks to walk in? It also looked pretty short, as if the chicks would actually be touching the heating pad when in the "cave".

What a simple yet brilliant idea. I'll admit most of us have probably thought of this I know I have but so worried something Dreadful was going to happen if we did. Certainly won't miss the leftover dust that always occurs when you have an indoor brooder in some unused room.

I never thought about the issue of them being reached for from above- clearly a very basic innate Primal Fear I'm sure that's well programmed in their psyche so to speak. Anyway thanks for posting this I will definitely give it a try when the time comes.

Update: the only thought that came to me later is the safety of the chicks in the case of rodents Etc like rats at night?

Great post!

Well done and great food for thought. I hate my brooder in the garage and the chicks running. These are great suggestions.

I just got chickies and this was wonderful and helpful! I really appreciated you tossing out temperatures for reference. That helped a lot as to when to try this out and purchase chicks. I also liked your ideas and your set up. Very au natural and ecosystem friendly. Bravo!

I have wondered about this, and really appreciate reading your thoughts and observations. I am in the process of renovating my chicken coop and run, and will be including a safe pen for the babies in my new design. Many thanks!!

Wonderful article! I'm definitely going to try this going forward! Also, the picture of them from the back while they're looking out the window is ADORABLE.

This is confirmation for my recent thoughts on the same way of "brooding" new babies!

Thank you for such wonderful information. I have four babies only 4 weeks old and I am going to go right now and try to achieve the goal you have explained.

Marvelous article! Will be getting new chicks in the next day or 2....definitely going to go this route! Thank you!

Wow great article. I wish I had the space to utilize this method. It seems like so much less stress on new chicks and introducing them to the flock!

Wonderful article about raising chicks outside. I love the photos!

Very informative and helps us think out of the "box".

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the answer to flighty birds. They always run to the corner of the brooder and hide.
Thank you sooo much for writing this article. Even though it's January I am going to start working on my brooder now!

Really interesting to see the evolution of chicken raising! I agree about brooding in cooler temps. We started ours upstairs for a few days while they got their sea legs, then moved them down to our 50 degree basement (with a heat plate of course). They did outstanding! Feathered very quickly, and were able to start enjoying the outdoors by 3 weeks. We'll be attempting chick integration next spring, and I'm going to utilize the advice in this article (do it early, escape portals, etc.)

I know this is an old article but im definitely considering changing things up for my 5 day old chicks and perhaps getting them outside with the big girls sooner than anticipated. Great article!

Wow!! This is the best information about brooding out there! Amazing!!!!